Automatic drain valve for air lines



Feb. 10, 1953 E. J. WHALEN 2,627,869

AUTOMATIC DRAIN VALVE FOR. AIR LINES Original Filed Oct. 18, 1944Patented Feb. 10, 1953 2,627,869 AUTOMATIC DRAIN VALVE FOR AIR LINESEdward J. Whalen, North Providence, R. I.

Original application October 18, 1944, Serial No.

559,292. Divided and this application December 15, 1950, Serial No.200,932

2 Claims. 1

My invention relates to improvements in automatic drain valves for usein air lines of humidifying installlations including atomizers, fromwhich it is frequently necessary to drain condensed water and oil toprevent the same, instead of pure air, from being sprayed from theatomizers and damaging surrounding equipment.

Th instant application for my improved automatic drain valve is adivision of my co-pending application Serial No. 559,292 filed October18, 1944, now Patent No. 2,559,692.

It is a primary object of my invention to provide an automatic drainvalve for the above purpose which is operative to close by pressure inthe line and spring operated to open when the pressure in the line isrelieved so as to drain water and oil from the air line.

Another object is to provide a valve of the character and for thepurpose above set forth which is of simple and inexpensive constructionand is reliable and highly eflicient in operation.

Other and subordinate objects will become apparent when the followingdescription and claims are read in conjunction with the drawingaccompanying and forming part of the specification.

In said drawing:

Figure l is a view in vertical section of my improved automatic drainvalve;

Figure 2 is a view in plan of the valve guide;

Figure 3 is a view in side elevation of the guide;

Figure 4 is a view in bottom plan of the valve member; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of the valve member andvalve stem.

Referring to the drawing by numerals, my improved valve comprises avalve housin 38 including upper and lower sections 39, 40, respectively,threadedly connected together with the upper housing section beingsuitably adapted, in the usual manner for connection at its upper end toan air line, not shown, of an atomizer of a humidiiying installation,not shown. The lower housing section 40 is provided with an annularvalve guide 4| dividing the housing diametrically and threaded thereinwith arcuate drain ports 42 in the same. The valve guide 4| slidablyreceives a vertical valve stem 43 therein carrying a disk valve member46 at its lower end adapted to engage a tapering valve seat 45 in thelower end portion of the lower housing section 40. The lower end portionof the lower housing section 40 is formed with a drain port 44 in whicha cleaning rod 41 depending from the valve member 46 is adapted to Workto maintain the drain port 43 free of sediment.

The valve member 46 is substantially greater in diameter than the valvestem 43 and otherwise arranged to be subjected, through the ports 42, todownward pressure of air entering the upper housing section 39 of thevalve housing 38 whereby to seat said valve member 46 downwardly in thevalve seat 45.

A coil spring 49 on the valve stem 43 interposed between the valve guide4| and a head 49 on said stem urges the valve member 46 upwardly intovalve opening position against valve guide 4| in closing positionrelative to the drain ports 42.

As will now be seen, when air enters the upper housing section 39 fromthe air line, not shown, under sufiicient pressure to overcome the coilspring 48, such pressure acts through the drain ports 42 against thevalve member 46 to move said member downwardly into seating engagementwith the valve seat 45 and closes the drain port 44 and the lowersection 49 so that oil and water may find its way from the air line intosaid lower section 40 through the drain ports 42. As soon as thepressure in the air line is shut off, for instance when the installationis rendered idle, the valve member 46 is unseated by the coil spring 48,in the manner already described, and the water and oil collected in thelower housing section 40 will drain out of the drain port 44.

The foregoing will, it is believed, sufiice to impart a clearunderstanding of my invention without further explanation.

Manifestly, the invention, as described, is susceptible of modification,without departing from the inventive concept, and right is hereinreserved to such modifications as fall within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having described my invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. An automatic drain for connection to a compressed air line andcomprising a valve housing formed of threadedly connected sections andhaving a bottom drain port therein, a valve guide having ports thereinand being threaded in one of the sections and dividing the housingdiametrically, a disk valve slidably mounted in said guide forengagement therewith to close the ports therein and under influence ofair pressure in the line to seat against said bottom and close thebottom drain port, and spring means for sliding the valve away from saidbottom into engagement with said guide to open said bottom port andclose the ports in said guide.

2. An automatic drain valve according to claim 1 including a rod on saidvalve for working in said bottom port to clean the same and which iswithdrawn clear of said bottom port when said valve is engaged with saidguide.

EDWARD J. WHALEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 882,212 Wisenfeld May 19, 19082,100,485 Lindemann Nov. 30, 193'? 2,232,899 Aikman Feb. 25, 19412,285,802 Cahusac June 9, 1942

